Westhill, Blue Mountains

Description from the owner

Description from the owner

Bedrooms:4

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Bathrooms:4

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Sleeps:10

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Type:House

Westhill, Blue Mountains

Glenn Murcutt, Australia's international prize winning architect, has tripled the size of this iconic century old country farm house. Two magnificent glass walled pavilions back on to the Heritage Listed Blue Mountains National Park.

Westhill and Wood Duck Cabin are secluded and completely private. Set within 1.6 hectares of established mountain gardens. The garden features in the Australian Open Gardens Scheme and is flood lit at night.

Blackheath Golf Course is 2 minutes away. Excellent restaurants are nearby. Some of the best walking tracks are on your doorstep.

The house is luxuriously furnished with a state of the art kitchen and features original Australian indigenous artworks. There are open fire places as well as ducted central heating.

Wood Duck Cabin is part of the original property. Glenn Murcutt adapted the Cabin to provide guest accommodation for two.

Westhill and Wood Duck Cabin may be booked separately or together to accommodate up to 10 people.TripAdvisor property ID 2340261 original Australian indigenous artworks. There are open fire places as well as ducted central heating.

Wood Duck Cabin is part of the original property. Glenn Murcutt adapted the Cabin to provide guest accommodation for two.

Westhill and Wood Duck Cabin may be booked separately or together to accommodate up to 10 people.TripAdvisor property ID 2340261...Read more

About the owner

About the owner

Philip Kerr

Philip Kerr

Map

Westhill, Blue Mountains Blackheath, New South Wales, Australia

Restaurants

Attractions

Rentals

Additional Location Information

Famous Blackheath Walks; the Braeside Track, the Cliff Walk, Bridal Veil Falls and Evans Lookout are all accessible from the back door. The property features an old Pine Forest, expansive grassland, deciduous Woodland and gorgeous established cold climate Mountain gardens.

You may wish to sit in the cool, velvety shade of the Woodland listening to birdsong and watch Crimson Rosellas, King Parrots, Honeyeaters and Cockatoos feed off fruit and blossom in the Orchard, while native Wood Ducks cruise past waterlilies on the Dam.

Wrap yourself up in the silky warm mountain mists of summer, drink in the brilliant black starry night skies, enjoy the sight, sound, smell, warmth and romance of an open log fire in winter.

Reviews (10)

Reviews

“A tradition in the making”

Left on 04/01/2014 for a stay in March 2014 | A FlipKey verified reviewerReviewed Apr 1, 2014Stayed Mar 2014

To find a large house in the mountains for rent that feels like the home of a very good friend who have invited you to stay is priceless. Most rental places we have tried for large groups have an anonymous,tired, tatty feel about them. You are always conscious of being in rented accommodation. So imagine instead that you arrive to a welcoming homestead impeccably maintained with a level of comfort and unpretentious luxury that exudes the ultimate good taste of those who surround themselves with beauty that seeps from every nook and cranny. This is Westhill. The lights are on, there is food in the fridge, the fires are ready to go and every detail exudes warmth and thoughtfulness. This is our second stay at Westhil, along with many romantic getaways over the years at Wood Duck cabin. Without reservation I can say these two accommodations are perfect in every way.
We had a large group of friends up for the Blue Mountains Folk Festival weekend. Some volunteering, some attending and others just hanging out. Westhill is large enough that everyone felt they had space to be doing what they wanted and yet when we all came together for dinner, the dining room was large enough and yet cozy enough for the 7 adults.
The kitchen is a dream in which to prepare a huge feast. We brought up our pasta maker to get everyone involved in dinner preparations and with produce from the gardens it was a fabulous and fun meal.
As one of the other reviewers said - the only trouble with singing the praises of Westhill is that we all like to feel it is our little secret. But the happiness we see in everyone we have ever introduced to Westhill is just a reminder that we need to 'share the love'. If you decide to go- you will finding yourself beating a path to the door of Westhill year after year.

Thank you Andy. You are wonderful guests and so appreciative of everything. We look forward to having you at our place.

A FlipKey verified reviewer

Canberra

“Sensational”

Left on 09/21/2013 for a stay in September 2013 | A FlipKey verified reviewerReviewed Sep 21, 2013Stayed Sep 2013

We spent an idyllic weekend at Westhill a couple of weeks ago. The house and the cottage were perfect for us as a group of four couples. Plenty of room and no one felt they had an inferior room. The gardens are also fantastic. We go away together every 6 months or so and we have been doing this for quite some time. Over the years we have stayed at some great places but Westhill is definitely the best we have experienced. Truely fantastic!!!

Thank you for your lovely review. We are pleased you enjoyed the weekend so much.

A FlipKey verified reviewer

Sydney

“Christmas in July celebrations - a perfect venue”

Left on 09/10/2013 for a stay in July 2013 | A FlipKey verified reviewerReviewed Sep 10, 2013Stayed Jul 2013

I booked the full house plus Wood Duck cabin for 10 of my friends to celebrate Christmas in July. The house was perfect for yuletide celebrations and Elizabeth and Phillip were very accomodating at answering all my queries no matter how random in the lead up to the event. This included finding me a butcher to order my turkey and measuring the oven so it would cook!

When we arrived at the house, the log fires were all burning, the candles lit, a christmas tree lit and christmas carols playing in the lounge. For a group of 30+ professionals, we were like excited kids at Christmas. All these little surprises added to our enjoyment of the weekend.

The house is stunning. There are 3 bedrooms in the main house, plus a further double in Wood Duck Cabin and then two roll out beds. All rooms are exceptional quality, that is feels like staying in a hotel in the confort of a home.
There are two lounge areas and a formal dining room, all lined with floor to ceiling glass walls which the sun streams through in the morning.
The three log fires keep the place feeling cosy in the winter despite the glass and there are plenty of extra heaters should you want it. The dining table easily sat all 10 of us, and being in a separate room meant we could eat and then reture to the lounge to relax in front of the fire.
It is an idyllic venue. Perfect for a Christmas get together but equally would be fabulous through the summer with its outside areas.

The stand alone bath in the main bathroom looks up onto velux windows to watch the stars through at night - it really has been perfectly designed.

There is a walk from the front door to an amazing lookout at the end of the road (Evans Lookout, about 1.5km each way).

I have already recommended this place to friends, great for a group get together or for a couple staying in Wood Duck Cabin. We are already considering booking up for July again next year.

Really glad you kids had a great Christmas!! We hope Santa was good to you.

A FlipKey verified reviewer

Auckland

“A unique, luxury, architectural experience”

Left on 06/11/2013 for a stay in June 2013 | A FlipKey verified reviewerReviewed Jun 11, 2013Stayed Jun 2013

An absolutely magnificent property - the best of all worlds, an historic cottage with a great modern addition on a manicured estate. As an architect myself, being able to stay in a Glenn Murcutt design was a bucket list event. A genius combination of pavilions, fireplaces, inside/outside spaces and views into bush. The house is absolutely five star luxury - including a great kitchen - we didn't dine out once. In fact we didn't want to leave the property. There are exotic birds everywhere and we counted 40 outdoor seats to enjoy viewing them from!

Thanks Simon.. We really enjoyed your immediate pleasure and enthusiasm when you came in. Of course you don't have to be an architect to appreciate the space but perhaps you notice things at another level. Hope you can get across " the ditch" soon and maybe stay longer!

A FlipKey verified reviewer

Sydney

“Our Dream Wedding came True!”

Left on 05/23/2013 for a stay in April 2013 | A FlipKey verified reviewerReviewed May 23, 2013Stayed Apr 2013

It was difficult for us to write a review as the time we spent at Westhill for our wedding will surely remain the most memorable days of our lives.
Our marriage was an australian civil ceremony in a Persian traditional style which was followed by an amazing reception party, all held at Westhill.
My husband & I met Elizabeth and Philip Kerr whilst we were looking for a possible venue for our wedding in the Blue Mountains. The couple are genuinely nice. Their love for the natural beauty of their residence was reflected in their spotless and well-appointed home & stunning gardens. We felt so lucky to have found Westhill for our wedding and could not have wished for anything more.

The weather was unreliable at the time we stayed so we decided to set up a marquee in the garden for the reception. In our opinion, Marquees are not particularly attractive but with the amazing setting and clear marquee walls we had a beautiful and comfortable space for our wedding party.

We stayed at Westhill for 4 days with our close family so we really got to know the place.

The owners of Westhill were truly helpful and introduced us to some amazing people who are extremely passionate and professional. We were pleased with each and all the services we received for our wedding from the Equipment hire to catering. We had an amazing day and everything went to plan.

My husband & I always try to be good hosts and will do our best to ensure our guests are having a good time. Since all of our guests were travelling long distances, we felt even more pressured. Westhill collaborate with Princes Pantry Catering for their functions. We were very impressed with Cathy armstrong and her team. Cathy is a great chef & is so passionate about what she does. We loved the food and beautiful presentation. The feedback we received from our guests was all positive.

If you are planning to have your special day somewhere exceptional, pure and genuinely beautiful, we highly recommend you consider Westhill.

We are so pleased the wedding was everything you wished for and such a wonderful celebration of such a happy event. It was a pleasure sharing and supporting in its planning. We are very fortunate to have Cathy Armstrong catering for such functions as well as a great team.

A FlipKey verified reviewer

Sydney

“The perfect escape!”

Left on 05/22/2013 for a stay in April 2013 | A FlipKey verified reviewerReviewed May 22, 2013Stayed Apr 2013

From the moment we drove up the pebble stone driveway and were surrounded by a majestic autumn garden we knew we had found something pretty special. A warm welcome and tour of the outstanding grounds including a bountiful veggie garden, duck pond and orchid shed set us up for what we knew was going to be exactly what we needed for a relaxing but capturing escape.
We had gone up as a couple so the wood duck cabin was perfect for a romantic weekend. The cabin was full of absolutely everything we needed from fire wood for the fireplace, beautiful haberdashery and local delicacies for breakfast. However after enjoying my time on the property and seeinging the architecturally renowned main house next door to the cabin I cannot wait to hire it out with the cabin for a week end with friends. For as much as I'd love to keep this special find underwraps It has to be shared!

Thank you very much for such a great review. It is our pleasure to share our place with guests who appreciate it so much and we look forward to welcoming you back.

A FlipKey verified reviewer

Sydney

“Perfect retreat”

Left on 04/14/2013 for a stay in March 2013 | A FlipKey verified reviewerReviewed Apr 14, 2013Stayed Mar 2013

I am reluctant to write this review - not wanting my Blue Mountains secret getaway to be 'discovered'! I have visited Westhill, staying in Wood Duck Cabin several times over the past few years - at different times of the year and in all sorts of weather. If you are after a cosy retreat, the cabin, set in serene grounds, is perfect. For a restful break, take a good book (or two) and enjoy the sunshine in the lovingly tended garden, retire to a sunny corner in the glasshouse, or settle down in front of a roaring log fire, as the weather dictates. For something more energetic, take the short bushwalk from the grounds to the rim of the spectacular Grose Valley and enjoy the view or, better still, venture down into the valley to experience it close up. My suggestion is to allow enough time for both the energetic and restful options! I can't recommend Westhill highly enough, just don't tell anyone else ;-)

Thank you for your very favouraable review. we are always pleased to see people return. Of course we won't tell anybody else either!!

A FlipKey verified reviewer

Sydney

“Blissful retreat”

Left on 02/12/2013 for a stay in December 2012 | A FlipKey verified reviewerReviewed Feb 12, 2013Stayed Dec 2012

I come to Westhill and Wood Duck cabin a few times every year and as soon as I leave I am planning my next visit. From the wonderful welcome of the owners to the impeccably aesthetic attention to every detail, Westhill and Wood Duck Cabin promise you the best holiday experience in the Mountains. Whether you want to walk through the wonderful tall trees and bushland to pop out at the most amazing views of the Blue Mountains, wander through the magnificant and carefully tended gardens or stay inside with the roaring open fires reading or watching the abundant bird life, you will be reinvigorated, refreshed and ready to come back again.
Wood duck cabin is the ultimate romantic retreat while Westhill house makes the perfect family get together. A whisper quiet location, fresh produce from the veggie garden, and every amenity you could desire, you can be confident that you have everything you need for a wonderful relaxing get away.

Hi Judith. What a lovely review. We are glad you all enjoy your visits so much to the house and cabin. It is a pleasure to welcome you each time.

A FlipKey verified reviewer

Sydney

“Satisfies all the senses - a restful break in a beautiful home a”

Left on 02/01/2013 for a stay in August 2011 | A FlipKey verified reviewerReviewed Feb 1, 2013Stayed Aug 2011

Set in large and beautiful grounds, on a quiet road in Blackheath in the beautiful blue mountains, with lots of excellent walks and great look-outs nearby, this is a delight. The house is sensational, in an under-stated Glenn Murcutt way - every window frames a view, every opening invites you to go through it to another great aspect.

All you could hope to find in a home is there, every kitchen appliance, beautiful artwork, good books, elegant and comfortable furniture. The owners leave supplies - you might find a great big bowl of fruit, milk, bread, coffee, jam, chocolates, pasta. It feels like home. The veggie garden is new - the owners offered us the option to pick some.

There were 5 of us for the weekend and 5 additional guests for Sunday lunch. Seating and feeding 10 people for lunch was no problem - the kitchen is good, and the rooms and furniture are large and gracious.

A pre-lunch stroll in the extensive gardens and an after lunch walk to the look-out at the end of the road, made for a beautiful day.

I would thoroughly recommend it to a family or group of good friends - the gracious dining room is just made for long lazy evenings of good conversation over good food and wine, warm inside by the wood fire, beautifully contrasting the icy Blackheath winter weather outside.

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